"Wherever I am, if Barca come calling, I'll leave" : Guardiola
Pep Guardiola always makes interesting comments whenever he sits in front of a microphone and this time was no exception.
Ahead of the FA Cup game against Arsenal, he was asked for his opinion on Arteta leaving Man City to join Arsenal. He said that he understands it perfectly and he also left a message for Barca.
"If I'm managing here or wherever it is and Barca call me, I'll go to Barcelona. It's my club," he said. Comments which many will remember although the Barca board are happy with Xavi.
Arteta played at Arsenal between 2012 and 2016 and Guardiola understood his decision. "We scored a lot of goals when he was my right hand man and he always jumped and celebrated... except against one team. I was jumping, celebrating, turning around and he was sitting down. It was Arsenal. Then I realised: 'That guy likes Arsenal'," he recalled.
"Everyone has dreams and that's why he went to his club, the team he dreamt about. He was an Arsenal fan because he played there, he was the captain and he loved that club," Guardiola continued.
Pep Guardiola made it clear that he never stopped him going, on the contrary. "I didn't want to say no, life's too short. You have to fly."